The BMW 7 Series (photo) clinched the 2024 SA Car of the Year (COTY) title. Among 18 finalists, it emerged as a standout contender, impressing COTY jurors from the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) throughout the evaluation process.
The Suzuki Fronx secured second place overall, with the BMW M2 claiming third spot.
The 2024 COTY competition saw 18 finalists carefully selected from an impressive pool of 80 qualifying vehicles representing various fiercely contested categories. The competition featured Budget/Compact, Compact Family, Family, Premium, Adventure SUV, 4×4 Double Cab, Luxury and Performance categories. With a greater representation of EVs across the different categories, the previous New Energy category was dropped in this year's competition.
The category winners of the 2024 COTY competition are:
Budget/Compact: Suzuki Fronx.
Compact Family: Toyota Urban Cruiser.
Family: BMW X1.
Premium: Mercedes-Benz GLC.
Adventure SUV: Mahindra Scorpio-N.
4x4 Double Cab: Volkswagen Amarok.
Luxury: BMW 7 Series.
Performance: BMW M2.
The Mahindra Scorpio-N also won the "Motor Enthusiasts Choice" award, which was determined by public votes in a social media campaign led by OMI. This category was added three years ago to recognise the increasing importance of public engagement in the COTY competition.
Another accolade for the BMW brand, which clinched the overall COTY victory plus three category wins, is the COTY Jurors’ Excellence Award granted to the 7 Series, recognising the jurors' admiration for its exceptional driving experience, vehicle quality and craftsmanship based on their input scores.
Charles Nortjé, Managing Director of Old Mutual Insure (OMI), a leading insurer in South Africa and a main sponsor of COTY for the past two years, expressed his delight at the outcome of this year's COTY competition. He remarked on the industry's rapid advancements, particularly in automotive safety.
Mabuyane Mabuza, Chairperson of the SAGMJ and the 2023 and 2024 COTY competitions, congratulated the winners and all the competitor entries. "It's heartening to see the automotive industry's dedication to providing high-quality, technologically advanced products across all categories to meet modern buyers' mobility needs."
She explained that the COTY competition evaluates all entrants based on design, technology, engineering, powertrain performance, handling, ingenuity and safety. After the expert panel completes scoring, the automated factors provided by Lightstone Auto offer data-driven insights and online market intelligence that transcend merely scoring the driving experience.
"After securing victory in the 38th edition of the COTY competition in 2024, BMW now holds the record for the most overall wins in this prestigious showcase, having triumphed in six previous years, namely 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2011. It is remarkable that the BMW 7 Series now marks their seventh win in the competition!"
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